SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Form 6-K

Report of Foreign Private Issuer

Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the month of October 2004

Commission File Number 000-31062

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):   o

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):   o

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrant’s “home country”), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrant’s securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrant’s security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.

Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in this Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If “Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):   82 -             

Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

210, 1167 Kensington Crescent NW Calgary, Alberta Canada T2N 1X7

MEDIA ADVISORY

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. to Present at the Rodman & Renshaw
Techvest 6th Annual Healthcare Conference

CALGARY, AB, October 21, 2004 — Dr. Brad Thompson, President and CEO of Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (TSX: ONC, NASDAQ: ONCY), will present a corporate overview at the Rodman & Renshaw Techvest 6th Annual Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, October 27 at 3:50 P.M. (ET) to analysts, portfolio managers, investment bankers and other financial professionals. The event will be held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City from October 26-28, 2004.

A live audio webcast of the presentation will be available at http://www.wsw.com/webcast/rrshq4/oncy/ or on the company’s website at www.oncolyticsbiotech.com.

It is recommended that listeners log on 15 minutes in advance of the presentation to register and download any necessary software. An audio replay will be available for 90 days following the presentation at http://www.wsw.com/webcast/rrshq4/oncy/.

About Oncolytics Biotech Inc.
Oncolytics is a Calgary-based biotechnology company focused on the development of REOLYSIN®, its proprietary formulation of the human reovirus, as a potential cancer therapeutic. Oncolytics’ researchers have demonstrated that the reovirus is able to selectively kill cancer cells and, in vitro, kill human cancer cells that are derived from many types of cancer including breast, prostate, pancreatic and brain tumours, and have also demonstrated successful cancer treatment results in a number of animal models. Phase I clinical trial results have indicated that REOLYSIN® was well tolerated and that the reovirus demonstrated activity in tumours injected with REOLYSIN®.

The webcast time is subject to change. This release and the presentation related thereto contain forward-looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, delays, uncertainties and other factors not under the Company’s control and which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the results, performance or expectations implied by these forward-looking statements.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

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